Method Change in Scores Between 2008 and 2009 Interpreting the CPI
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policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2009/FAQs http://archive.transparency.org/layout/set/print/policy_researc... Print Close Window Frequently asked questions Method How many countries/territories are included in the 2009 CPI? How are countries/territories chosen for inclusion in the CPI? Why are countries/territories no longer covered in the CPI, and why are new countries/territories added? Which countries/territories might be included in future CPIs? What are the sources of data for the 2009 CPI? Whose opinion is polled for the surveys used in the CPI? Does the CPI’s prominence influence respondents? How is the 2009 CPI produced? Have there been any changes in the CPI methodology in 2009? Change in scores between 2008 and 2009 Can country/territory scores in the 2009 CPI be compared to those in past editions of the CPI? Which countries/territories scores have gone down most between 2008 and 2009? Which countries/territories scores have improved most? Interpreting the CPI Is the country/territory with the lowest score the world's most corrupt country and vice versa? Example: What is implied by Somalia’s bottom ranking and New Zealand’s top ranking in the 2009 CPI? Why is the impact (or lack thereof) of anti-corruption reform or recent corruption scandals not always evident in a country/territory’s CPI score? Is the CPI a reliable measure of a country/territory's perceived level of corruption? Is the CPI a reliable measure for basing decisions on aid allocation? How does the CPI relate to other TI research products? General For the purpose of the CPI, how is corruption defined? The CPI focuses on corruption in the public sector. The surveys used in compiling the CPI ask questions relating to the abuse of public power for private benefit. These include questions on: bribery of public officials, kickbacks in public procurement, embezzlement of public funds, and questions that probe the strength and effectiveness of public sector anti-corruption efforts, thereby covering both the administrative and political aspects of corruption. Why is the CPI based only on perceptions? It is difficult to assess the overall levels of corruption in different countries/territories based on hard empirical data, e.g. by comparing the amount of bribes or the number of prosecutions or court cases directly related to corruption. In the latter case, for example, such data does not reflect actual levels of corruption; rather it highlights the extent to which prosecutors, courts and/or the media are effectively investigating and exposing corruption. One reliable method of compiling cross-country data is, therefore, to draw on the experience and perceptions of those who see first hand the realities of corruption in a country. Method 1 of 4 3/9/14, 16:24 policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2009/FAQs http://archive.transparency.org/layout/set/print/policy_researc... How many countries/territories are included in the CPI? The 2009 CPI ranks 180 countries/territories, the same number as in 2008. How are countries/territories chosen for inclusion in the CPI? A minimum of three reliable sources of corruption-related data is required for a country or territory to be included in the CPI. Inclusion in the index is not an indication of the existence of corruption but rather depends solely on the availability of the minimum data requirements. Why are countries/territories no longer covered in the 2009 CPI, and why are new countries/territories added? Countries/territories are only included in the index if at least three sources of data are available. In 2009 a change in the country coverage of individual sources resulted in Brunei Darussalam being included, but Belize had to be dropped from the Index, as there was only one source available. Which countries/territories might be included in future CPIs? Transparency International is continuously and actively seeking to increase the number of countries and territories included in the CPI. Countries or territories with two sets of data (insufficient for inclusion) are: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Grenada, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Micronesia (Federated States of), Netherlands, Antilles, North Korea, St. Kitts & Nevis and Tuvalu. At least one additional set of data is necessary for inclusion in the CPI. What are the sources of data for the CPI? The 2009 CPI draws on 13 different polls and surveys from 10 independent institutions. Data sources must be published in the past two years to be eligible for inclusion. All data sources must provide a ranking of countries/territories and measure the overall extent of corruption. This condition excludes surveys which mix corruption with other issues, such as political instability, decentralisation or nationalism. TI strives to ensure that the sources used are of the highest quality and that the survey work is performed with complete integrity. To qualify, the data must be well documented and the methodology explained to permit a judgment on its reliability. Some institutions that donate their data to TI free of charge, for use in the CPI, do not allow disclosure of the data they contribute because their evaluations are only available to subscribers. Other institutions make their data publicly available. For a full list of data sources, details on questions asked and number of respondents for the 2009 CPI, please see the CPI methodology at http://www.transparency.org/cpi Whose opinion is polled for the surveys used in the CPI? The expertise reflected in the CPI scores draws on an understanding of corrupt practices held by those based in both the industrialised and developing world and includes surveys of business people and country analysts. Sources providing data for the CPI rely on non-resident and resident experts. It is important to note that residents' viewpoints correlate well with those of non-resident experts. Does the CPI’s prominence influence respondents? The CPI has gained wide prominence in the international media since its first publication in 1995. This has raised concerns that respondents’ judgements may be overshadowed by the data reported by TI, which would introduce a problem of circularity. This hypothesis was tested in 2006 using a survey question posed to business leaders around the world. Based on more than 9,000 responses, knowledge of the CPI does not appear to induce business experts to ‘go with the herd’. Rather, knowledge of the CPI may motivate respondents to determine their own views, and there is therefore little indication of circularity in the present approach. How is the 2009 CPI produced? The 2009 CPI is produced by the Transparency International Secretariat in Berlin. TI gathered the data, liaised with experts on the method, and calculated the Index. In past years, this work was carried out by a consultant and senior adviser to TI. TI has a rigorous process for cross-checking final results, in collaboration with a number of experts from leading universities and institutes. As in years past, advice on the CPI methodology was provided by TI's Index Advisory Committee (http://transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/about). In addition, in 2009 a group of experts both advised TI during the calculation phase and reviewed the production of the Index: Andrew Gelman (Columbia University), Rajshri Jayaraman (European School of Management and Technology), Meghan O'Malley Berry (Columbia University), Piero Stanig (London School of Economics) and Andreas Stephan (JIBS, Jönköping University; CESIS, KTH Stockholm). Catherine Muller and Marc Vothknecht (DIW Berlin - German Institute for Economic Research) provided additional advice and independently checked the calculation of the 2009 CPI. For further information on the CPI’s method, please consult the 2009 CPI methodology (www.transparency.org/cpi). 2 of 4 3/9/14, 16:24 policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2009/FAQs http://archive.transparency.org/layout/set/print/policy_researc... Have there been any changes in the CPI methodology in 2009? By and large, the CPI 2009 follows the same method as in previous years. The one small change that was introduced is that the CPI 2009 uses the previous year’s scores, the CPI 2008, as its master list (for more on the overall method, see http://www.transparency.org//policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/cpi_2009/in_depth/methodology). This was the approach taken to the CPI until 2006. In the 2007 and 2008 CPI editions, the previous year’s scores were used but also adjusted. For more on this see http://transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2007 Change in scores between 2008 and 2009 Can country/territory scores in the 2009 CPI be compared to those in past CPIs? The index provides a snapshot of the views of business people and country analysts for the current or recent years. Given its methodology, the CPI is not a tool that is suitable for monitoring progress or lack of progress over time. The only reliable way to compare a country’s score over time is to go back to individual survey sources, each of which can reflect a change in assessment. Year-to-year changes in a country/territory's score could result from a changed perception of a country's performance, a change in the ranking provided by original sources or a change in the CPI’s methodology. Wherever possible, TI has identified those changes in scores that can be identified in the sources themselves. Which countries/territories' scores deteriorated most between 2008 and 2009? As indicated above, the CPI method is not well-suited to making comparisons of scores from year to year. To the extent that changes can be traced back to individual sources, however, trends can be identified. Noteworthy examples of deteriorations from scores in the 2008 CPI to 2009 CPI on which more than half of the sources agreed include: Bahrain, Greece, Iran, Malaysia, Malta and Slovakia.